Home prices have risen the fastest in the major Western U.S. markets, so it shouldn't come as a shock that rents in these metros are rising as well. The latest report from real estate marketplace Zillow suggests there's no relief in sight for some of these Western renters.

Rents are up generally because more consumers are renting instead of buying. That increases competition for apartments and condos and single-family homes on the rental market.

Have an open house but don't hang around for it

Lettiann Southerland is a Kansas City area real estate agent and a foodie. Despite the fact those two things have little in common, she has combined them in a new book, "Homes that Cook: Best Kept Secrets for Buying, Selling and Creating a Home."

The book offers tips for selling your home but also includes more than 100 pages of recipes and cooking tips.

"I have taken two very happy areas of my life and combined them in a book of real estate buying and selling tips along ...

It isn't coming up with the down payment

Two numbers go a long way toward explaining the U.S. housing market this summer.

The first number is 13, as in an additional 13% of consumers were actively shopping for a new home last month. The second number is five – there are 5% fewer homes available for sale.

The result of those two numbers, says realtor.com's chief economist Jonathan Smoke, is an ever-tighter housing market that is pushing up home prices. Prices are rising, he says, because demand far outpaces suppl...

Builders say demand is steady

While demand continues to be strong in the single-family 55+ housing market, production isn't as robust as it could be.

According to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI), builder confidence in the market was up a point to57 in the second quarter. That's the ninth consecutive quarter with a reading above 50. An index number above 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

Zillow reports rents rose 1.7% compared to 5% for home prices

Many Millennials have been caught in a housing squeeze. Unable to buy a home, they've been forced to remain renters. But in the wake of the housing crisis, when demand for rental property skyrocketed, so did rents. And as rents rose year after year, it was harder to get ahead.

However, there's finally some good news. Real estate marketplace Zillow reports rents are still rising, but not as fast as home values are.

Deduction for middle class homeowners would be capped at $5,000 per year

Suburban areas across America are dotted with one subdivision after another, where residents are required to belong to a homeowner association (HOA). Residents pay a fee and, in return, receive some level of services.

It might be something as simple as maintenance of common areas. In some communities, the fee might take care of amenities like swimming pools and tennis courts. In some developments, the HOA has responsibility for repairing and maintaining roads.

WeLive takes a dorm-style approach to apartment dwelling

WeWork, an early purveyor of the co-working space movement, is taking the concept of shared office space and applying it to apartments.

In April, the office-sharing company launched WeLive: an apartment complex with an abundance of shared, open spaces. Renters can have their own private space, as well -- but the draw of WeLive is the sense of community.

Founding partner, Rebecca Newman, explains that WeLive is centered on community and “the belief that we’re basically a...

Your fellow consumers' concerns might be your opportunity

Let's start by conceding that buying a house these days is a lot different than it used to be. Before the housing crash, you could be pretty confident that if you purchased property it would rather quickly appreciate in value.

It was looked at as an investment, a smart place to put your money. But a lot of people who purchased a home at the top of the market in 2007 owe a lot more on their mortgage than their homes are worth.

Building permit applications, though, were lower

Construction of new homes in July built on the gains posted in June, although developers' plans for housing in the months ahead slipped a bit.

The Commerce Department reports ground was broken for privately-owned houses at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,211,000, up 2.1% from the revised June total of 1,186,000 and 5.6% above the rate posted a year earlier.

Starts on single-family homes were up 0.5% in July at a rate of 770,000 and a year-over-year advance of 1.3%....

Economic worries now 'the new normal'

The housing market appears healthy. Despite tight inventories, sales keep rising and so do prices. The market appears to have come a long way since the depths of the 2008 financial crisis, when homes prices imploded.

But a new survey suggests the market is still suffering a hangover. The ValueInsured Modern Homebuyer Survey found there is still some nervousness influencing home buying decisions today, a condition it declares as “the new normal.” In particular, it affects...

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